Ind vs Aus 3rd Test — BCCI asks players not to leave hotel in Sydney: The Indian team management has asked all the players and staff to abide by the COVID-19 protocols and not leave the hotel premises except for training during their stay in Sydney for the third test against Australia starting January 7. The development comes amid the row between the two sides apropos COVID-19 protocols.
India landed in Sydney on Monday after all the players including the five who were isolated tested negative for COVID-19. However, they will now have to be under hard quarantine for the remainder of the series in the wake of the pandemic in Australia especially New South Wales.
There have been reports in the Australian media, quoting unnamed sources from the Indian team, that the visitors have threatened to boycott the fourth test in Gabba, Brisbane.
According to it, the Indian management had refused to put the players in another hard quarantine as it would affect them mentally.
Following this, Queensland Health minister Ros Bates has slammed the visitors and said: “If they cannot follow the protocols, then don’t come”.
The Indian cricket team had expressed their disappointment by the treatment they are receiving from the Australian government and said they are not “animals in a zoo”. The visitors believe it is unfair to them that they have to undergo hotel quarantine while fans will be allowed to gather to watch them play at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
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One of the official, currently with the Indian team in Sydney told InsideSport that team is being treated unfairly.
“See team is upset. We can’t be treated like this by the authorities. We are being asked to stay in lockdown and they are allowing fans in the stadiums. Isn’t it unfair, obviously we are extremely upset”, said the team official to InsideSport on condition of anonymity.
For now, the team have shut themselves to the outside world are just concentrating on the New Year’s Test.
Ind vs Aus: Brisbane Test on as of now, decision in few days
The Australian media on Sunday claimed that the fourth Test in Brisbane has been jeopardised as the tourists are reluctant to travel there in view of stricter quarantine rules.
But it is learnt that the fourth Test, starting at the Gabba from January 15, is on as of now.
The border restrictions between New South Wales (venue of the third Test in Sydney) and Queensland state government is a problem.
Queensland has closed its borders for people travelling from New South Wales due to the rising cases of COVD-19 in Sydney and surrounding areas.
However there will be an exception made for the Test match and players will be in a stricter bio-bubble, similar to the one in the IPL.
It could well happen that in order to play the Test match in Brisbane, the Indian team would have to be in a stricter bio-bubble from Sydney itself which would make for a hard quarantine (hotel-stadium-hotel) of around 15 days.
However, as of now BCCI has not taken any call on asking CA to shift the Test match from Brisbane to Sydney.
“It’s a fluid situation. Let’s wait for a few more days,” a BCCI official said.